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Original poster

Do I go above his head? (Work)

18 replies

SheTurnedAround · 09/11/2023 07:01

Got a new manager, very random appointment - from Finance to Sales director, there is long back story. In short, he is inexperience with both sales and people side of management, uninspiring, pinches ideas, a bit narcissistic and I can’t work for him as he will never be my mentor, as he is just got nothing to offer, feeds of me at the moment.

He has completely cut me off communicating with SMT. I understand how hierarchy works but I am concerned that he is spinning them a false picture of his progress, while taking credit for our work and eventually he will get established, fake it till,you make it. One caveat - he was not his own bosses appointment, his boss has inherited him in transition and is try to make weird hire decision work.

My options are to leave the company (which I do not want to do and so far it is probing hard to find equally good position), speak up against him (which may see me exited) or shut up and put up. My whole life I have shut up and put, I am sick of making way for people with my work.

OP posts:
Original poster
SheTurnedAround · 09/11/2023 08:21

Nobody?

OP posts:
eurochick · 09/11/2023 08:45

What do you mean by "go above his head"?

Original poster
SheTurnedAround · 09/11/2023 08:49

His line manager

OP posts:
Original poster
SheTurnedAround · 09/11/2023 08:49

Or HR.

OP posts:
EmmaDilemma5 · 09/11/2023 08:50

It sounds like it's appropriate that he speaks with SMT. Why would you when your manager is already in that position?

Did you apply for his role?

This all sounds messy. I think it would be very strange for you BOTH to be feeding up, and inappropriate for it to be just you.

With regards to him taking credit for your work, is he? Or is he presenting them as team initiatives? As the manager, he represents you all. It's important that HE gives you credit and praise but the SMT won't care who's idea it is, they'll just want to hear about all good team ideas?

Pinkitydrinkity0 · 09/11/2023 08:50

How long has he been your manager for? Is he still learning the ropes?

I don’t think YABU to provide feedback to his line manager but make sure it’s done in the right way.

Original poster
SheTurnedAround · 09/11/2023 08:50

I know I am not the first one to dislike my manager but I think he is acting only in his own interests, not the business.

OP posts:
Hipnotised · 09/11/2023 08:52

What do you want to say to them? Personally I'd carry on as before, if you were updating SMT I'd still be doing that.

EBearhug · 09/11/2023 08:52

I think you'd need specific examples to make it official.

EmmaDilemma5 · 09/11/2023 08:53

I think you risk coming across as immature and bitchy. Work on improving your work relationship and team building. Rather than stabbing your new manager in the back.

BrightLightTonight · 09/11/2023 08:53

It sounds like you just don’t like him. No-one gets promoted if they are rubbish, as you have implied.

If you can’t work with him, you need to find a new role.

MrsFawkes · 09/11/2023 08:59

In my experience the rubbish managers always get found out and moved on.
Can you bear to bide your time and see what happens?

If colleagues are also having issues with him why should it fall to you to escalate things?

Polish up your CV and if nothing changes, start looking elsewhere.

BarbaraofSeville · 09/11/2023 08:59

No-one gets promoted if they are rubbish, as you have implied

Au contraire. Many workplace management roles are filled by mediocre men who've been appointed in favour of better qualified women.

It's also not uncommon to promote people into higher roles in other teams as an easy way of making them someone else's problem.

DilemmaDelilah · 09/11/2023 09:17

I would put up and shut up for the moment. BUT I would also keep evidence of your ideas and suggestions, work you have done, email trails of conversations, issues etc., just in case you need it in future or if you want to apply for another role in the same company. It doesn't sound as if the way your manager works is actually impacting you, so hang on in there and see how it goes.
My job has had a variety of managers, the one I thought least effective was, in fact, the best qualified and most experienced. She was also impossible to pin down as to what was needed and would change her mind 3 times in a conversation, so I always had to clarify with her before I left exactly what she wanted done. The best (in my opinion) was probably the least qualified and experienced in that particular role, but brought a wealth of other knowledge in, which helped to change the direction of our team to fit more closely with a change of organisational strategy. Perhaps that is what is happening in your workplace? Maybe the SMT need somebody with a finance background to fit in with the future requirements of your department.

Greenberg2 · 09/11/2023 09:23

He's obviously flailing. People who wanted to manage information flows usually are so they don't get found out. He doesn't seem to offer any added value so I'm not surprised you're frustrated. I'd look around for other opportunities. It's very rare for SMT to support someone against their line manager even if they're in the right and it might take years for him to be found out, by which time your confidence and standing will be in the toilet.

nibblessquibbles · 09/11/2023 09:24

If you want to escalate then you need to be clear on what is the unacceptable behaviour

  • preventing you from interaction with SMT is annoying but not necessarily unacceptable, he is your manager after all
  • being uninspiring is annoying but not actually your problem to solve and not something you can easily bring up in a formal way, you can provide feedback but I'd not make that the main focus
  • pinching ideas is hard to prove in reality. He's your line manager so he's arguably presenting the ideas of his team/function, so unless he's saying publicly SheTurnedaround has no ideas and that's a problem, I think you'll struggle.
  • inexperienced at line management is probably your only angle if he's not following process or implementing good practice, which you could reasonably raise with HR eg Bad manager has not set our objectives properly or doesn't do quarterly reviews etc. During that you could mention some problems with inspo etc
Original poster
SheTurnedAround · 09/11/2023 11:55

Thank you. Well, I called senior HR in confidence and let rip.

She told me that I am not the first one to raise this about him and they are watching, and good that I have come out to share feedback.

Watch this space - I can’t work with him, or worse enable his progression.

Will crack on with CV as advised by PP.

OP posts:
EBearhug · 09/11/2023 12:18

She told me that I am not the first one to raise this about him and they are watching, and good that I have come out to share feedback.

That's positive that you're not the only one. Hope it's a positive outcome (but I doubt it will be quick.)

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